SentoClone Significantly Strengthens its Global Patent Portfolio

Published: Friday, June 07, 2013
Last Updated: Friday, June 07, 2013

New patents granted in Japan, the USA and Europe.

SentoClone International AB has announced that it has been granted additional patents in Japan, the US and Europe further reinforcing the global protection of its proprietary SentoClone® technology, an active patient specific cellular immunotherapy against cancer based on the ex vivo cultivation and activation of CD4+ T-cells.

The technology has advanced to Phase II clinical trials following Phase I and pilot studies in patients with colorectal and bladder cancer.

SentoClone International´s chairman Pingsheng Hu said, "We are determined to develop our SentoClone® technology as rapidly as possible so that it can become an effective patient specific cancer therapy without significant side effects for the broad range of cancer patients worldwide. The recent patents we have been granted in Japan, the US and Europe means we have very solid IP in all major markets in the field of sentinel node derived T-cells in cancer therapy. We believe this much stronger patent protection will allow us to attract development partners so that we can make this novel approach to cancer therapy available to the many patients globally who could benefit."

The SentoClone® technology builds on a unique approach whereby CD4+ T- helper cells, highly specific for the patient’s individual tumor, are extracted from the tumor’s draining lymph node (the sentinel node) and cultivated ex vivo in a GMP production facility before being returned to the patient via one single infusion.

During cultivation, the T-cells are stimulated with growth factors and re-activated with antigen from the patient’s individual tumor.

Once returned to the patient the T-cells induce effector cells of the immune system to attack the tumor tissue highly specifically, leaving other tissue unaffected.

Evidence indicates that the technology also generates a powerful long-term immunologic memory where T-cells are patrolling the body in a process called immunosurveillance.

To-date more than 200 patients with a range of cancers have been treated using this unique approach with no significant side effects being reported.

The safety profile, combined with its synergistic mode of action, suggest that SentoClone® technology could be an ideal addition to current or upcoming cancer treatment regimens.

The recent patents granted to SentoClone covering its Sentinel node-derived CD4 T-cell cancer therapy are as follows:• In Japan, patent 5244610, titled “Improved method for expansion of tumour-reactive T-lymphocytes for immunotherapy in cancer” covers the process of ex vivo cultivation and activation of CD4+ T-cells. It is the Company´s second patent granted in Japan during 2013.• In Europe, patent EP 1966370B1, titled “Method for obtaining T-lymphocytes” covers the use in cancer immunotherapy of T-cells derived from metastasis-draining lymph nodes (“metinel nodes”). It is the Company´s third European patent and is presently being validated in the major European countries.• In the USA, patent US 8211425B2, titled “Method for treating disseminated cancer” is the Company´s sixth patent granted in the US and covers the use of metinel node T-cells in cancer immunotherapy.

SentoClone International holds 24 international patents, including these new grants, within eight families.

The portfolio comprises six patents in the USA, three patents in Europe and two patents in Japan.